Businesses have understood the importance of marketing ever since their rent came due the first time, but marketers are still being stumped by the necessity of good design.

My take on it is that if you want your users to feel welcome, enjoy their stay, become involved with you in some way (ie. follow your call to action), and come back for more, then you need to make them comfortable. What is more uncomfortable than hard to use navigation, in your face 1980’s color schemes, and a completely obvious lack of attention to detail?

Web design has evolved from rainbow horizontal rules to super sweet eye candy faster than we ever imagined. But on the flip side, what good is great design if the content is rubbish and the SEO is non-existent?